What Is Oslo Famous For?

A compact, walkable centre, the Opera House you can walk up the outside of, Akershus Fortress above the water, the Nobel Peace Center, and a nickname most visitors never hear. Oslo is Tigerstaden, the Tiger City, a name probably taken from an 1870 poem by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson about what was then Christiania, and the bronze tiger outside the central station is why two of the six walking tours meet where they do. Nearly everything the city is known for sits on one kilometre of street.

NicknameTigerstaden, the Tiger City

Probably fromAn 1870 Bjørnson poem

City then calledChristiania

Old grid-plan townKvadraturen

Fortress groundsFree, open daily

Everything on the routeRoughly a kilometre

The list a visitor actually ends up with is the walking-tour list, because the walking-tour list is the city: the Opera House, Kvadraturen and Christiania Torv, Akershus Fortress, Oslo City Hall, Aker Brygge, the Nobel Peace Center, Karl Johans gate, the Parliament and the Royal Palace. Off that line there is Vigeland Sculpture Park, which needs a tram. What not to miss takes each in turn.

Insider tip

The tiger is worth ten seconds of your attention and the nickname behind it is worth more. Ask your guide about Tigerstaden at the start rather than the end — it is a question most of them enjoy, and it sets the tone for the next two hours better than anything you could ask at the Royal Palace.

The walk that covers the famous list

Two hours in English from the bronze tiger itself, taking in the Opera House, Christiania Torv, Akershus Fortress, the City Hall, Karl Johans gate and the Royal Palace, with tips listed under what is included.

Check availability & book

We’re an independent guide, not a tour operator. Booking links go to GetYourGuide and are affiliate links — book through them and we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.

Frequently asked questions

What is Oslo most famous for?

Its compact centre and what sits on it: the Opera House, Akershus Fortress, Oslo City Hall, the Nobel Peace Center, Karl Johans gate and the Royal Palace, plus Vigeland Sculpture Park off the line. The walking route that covers them.

Why is Oslo called Tigerstaden?

The Tiger City nickname probably comes from an 1870 poem by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson that referred to what was then Christiania. A bronze tiger stands outside Oslo Central Station and is the meeting point for two of the six walks. Where each walk meets.

What is Kvadraturen?

The old grid-plan town centre, with Christiania Torv as its square. It is on every walking itinerary and it is the part of the route that means least without a guide explaining it. Which is most of the case for taking a guided walk at all.